The Moloka'i Rescue
by Kit Merlot
Summary: Danny learns of Matt's return to Hawaii and how Steve is tied to it and he doesn't handle it well. McDanno friendship/bromance.


Title: The Moloka'i Rescue  
Author: kitmerlot1213  
Word Count: 2748  
Fandom: Hawaii Five-0  
Paring: Steve/Danny  
Genre: Danny/Steve friendship/preslash, angst, hurt/comfort  
Rating: "R" for swearing and implied violence

Disclaimer: This story is for fun and no profit. I do not own any of the characters from Hawaii Five-0-I'm just borrowing them briefly.

Summary: Danny learns of Matt's return to Hawaii and how Steve is tied to it and he doesn't handle it well.

A/N: This was written for the Steve/Danno Spring Fling 2012 at stevedannoslash/ My prompt was from **goldenthroat**"I want to see any kind of story dealing with hurtDanny. Break him down anyway you want. Kidnapping, fever, gunshot wound, kneee injury, anything you want as long you have some kind of worried Steve who is there to comfort Danno afterwards." Many thanks to mcdannomauloa and newbatgirl for the beta'ing.

Danny stared down at the motionless body in the hospital bed, barely able to recognize the bruised and beaten body of his baby brother.

How had it come to this? How had Matty come from living somewhere in Mexico, laundering money for the Rivera drug cartel to fighting for his life in a hospital room in Hawaii?

_48 hours earlier_

Danny found through bleak experience that a good day never started by being awakened by a phone call before the sun had even risen.

He picked up his phone and violently pressed the OK button. "Williams," he yawned.

"Danny, I'm sorry for calling so early."

The detective sighed loudly, "McGarrett, this had better be important".

"It is, Danny, I promise you." Steve paused before he spoke again. "I won't be in to work today; I'm taking off for a long weekend visiting friends from my SEAL Team."

Danny tried to quiz him further, but Steve kept talking, telling him that he was in charge of the task force for the next three days, and then Steve hung up and promptly shut off his phone.

When Danny got to Headquarters, he was grateful that both Chin and Kono had already arrived. He told them about Steve's phone call, but neither cousin seemed overly concerned.

Chin turned a thoughtful gaze to the Mainlander. "You're worrying too much. Steve's not doing some covert op, he just went to visit friends."

Kono had agreed, smiling sympathetically as she shrugged. "He probably just wanted to hang, brah. It's all good."

So Danny pushed his worries to the back of his mind and concentrated on the task force.

Luckily, Friday was pretty quiet and they spent the majority of their time catching up on paper work and filing away old cases. By the afternoon, Danny had convinced himself that it was going to be a calm weekend.

On any normal Saturday morning, Danny would be lounging on his sofa, paper in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

On this Saturday morning, he was sitting in the waiting room at Queen's Trauma Center, not quite able to comprehend just how badly off his brother was.

"I'm sorry Doc, but you're going to need to repeat that."

The doctor—her name tag read Dr. Tiffany Asada—nodded and sat down beside the distraught man, speaking with a calm authority that all medical people seemed to possess.

She outlined all of Matt's injuries: "Mr. Williams's left shoulder was dislocated, the wrist broken and fingernails ripped out. The majority of his ribs are cracked and at least two are broken, and he has a collapsed lung. His jaw is broken, and he's suffering from intracranial bleeding and a subdural hematoma that requires immediate surgery."

She held out a clipboard and in a daze, he signed the necessary paperwork.

After she swiftly walked out the door, Danny sunk down into his chair, his mind whirling around all the information that had been dumped on him in the past hour.

The official word from the FBI agents working the case was that they had received a tip from a reliable source that Matt and the drug cartel he was working for had been hiding out in an abandoned coffee plantation on Moloka'i. The Feds had raided it, there had been a shootout, and Matt was injured in the cross fire.

It was the unofficial version that Danny was more interested in. Specifically, he wanted to know who had beaten Matt within an inch of his life.

His brother was taken into federal custody on sight and a paramedic was called over to assess his injuries. It hadn't taken the EMT long to recognize how serious Matt's injuries were and to recommend that he needed better medical care then an ambulance could provide.

Matt was then transferred to Queen's Trauma Center, and it was there that Danny learned the full extent of his brother's injuries.

He knew somewhere in his subconscious that he had phone calls to make, and that he needed to tell his parents, his sisters, Grace and even Rachel what was happening to Matt, but he couldn't get himself to move and reach for his phone.

The FBI left guards outside of the O.R. and the waiting room where Danny sat and he couldn't bring himself to care that his brother would most likely spend the rest of his life in jail. He had to make it out of surgery first.

He glanced around idly and wondered if every waiting room in every hospital was designed by the same person. He could swear that the room he was in right now was an exact replica of the waiting room in St. Michael's Medical Center in Newark, down to the same mint green walls and gray rug.

He laughed quietly to himself and closed his eyes for a brief moment.

When he opened them again, he nearly jumped out of skin when he found Kono and Chin sitting on either side of him. Kono smiled softly at him, and he hadn't even realized he was moving before they pulled him into a hug. He could hear Kono whispering to him, "It's going to be okay, your brother's going to be fine." He could feel himself shudder and the cousins loosened their grip on him and lead him back to his chair, neither one letting go of him. Kono's arm was wrapped around his shoulder and Chin's hand rested on the back of his head, and while he was grateful for their support, he still clenched his fist to keep his emotions in check.

Danny had to keep it together, to stay strong for his family and for Matt.

He could feel his composure slowly return and he turned to meet Chin's concerned gaze. "Malia called me when she heard and I called Kono," he answered Danny's unasked question.

He nodded, "Thanks guy," but he didn't trust himself to speak any more than that.

Kono handed him a fresh coffee and a bag of malasadas, still warm from the bakery. His stomach rumbled and his two companions chuckled at his slight blush. He slowly drank his coffee and ate a malasada but he didn't speak again, preferring to worry in silence.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Chin and Kono exchange concerned looks over his head. He knew he was freaking them out by not talking his problems out, but he simply didn't have the energy.

Chin gave Danny a considering look before he gently asked, "Would it help if Steve was here?"

Danny looked up sharply in surprise. "Steve's back?"

Again, Chin and Kono exchanged looks but this time it was Kono who spoke. "I thought you knew. Steve was the one who let the FBI know where Matt was."

Danny shook his head for what felt like the tenth time that hour. He couldn't wrap his brain around how Steve was involved in Matt's arrest and frankly, he wouldn't be able to puzzle it out until he knew that Matt was okay.

Chin and Kono were called into HPD to help deal with the cartel, but they both promised to return that evening.

Once he was alone again, the full weight of his worry hit. What if his brother was brain damaged or left in a vegetative state? Or worse, what if Matty never made it off of the surgical table?

Trying to keep his worries at bay, Danny finally called his parents. As soon as he heard his mom's voice, he was brought right back to his old house in Weehawken. He knew without even asking that she was cooking her usual Saturday night dinner—baked ziti.

And he could hear the TV in the background as his dad watched the game. This time of year it would be the NHL playoffs and Danny knew form a lifetime of experience that his dad would be yelling back in disagreement at every call the referee made.

Homesickness washed over him and he wished he was right there in his mother's kitchen while he told his parents that their baby boy was clinging to life.

He knew they were devastated and trying to focus on the positive fact that Matt was alive, but they were also understandably shocked at how badly hurt he was.

They were also as full of as many questions as Danny was.

"The doctors are still operating, Ma," he tried to keep his worry at how long the surgery was going to himself. "I'll call you as soon as I know something."

He paused when he heard his Dad's questions. "I don't know how Steve's involved in this, Pop. All anyone would tell me was that Steve got Matty away from the drug runners and handed him to the authorities."

He could hear his mother start to cry, and Danny could feel his own eyes start to well up but he had viciously clamped down on that emotion. He choked out that he would keep them updated and quickly hung up, afraid he'd burst into tears. He'd buried his face in his hands and took several deep breaths, willing himself to calm down.

He heard the door to the waiting room open, and felt, rather than heard Steve enter the room. Danny kept his eyes closed until his partner sat down next to him and a warm hand came to rest against the back of his neck.

"Matt's going to be okay, Danno. I know it."

Danny snorted and immediately answered. "Don't call me 'Danno,'" but he automatically relaxed and leaned into Steve's shoulder, taking comfort in Steve's solid strength.

Danny surreptiously watched Steve for any injuries that he might have tried to keep hidden, but his partner didn't seem to be favoring any side or limbs. Steve did look exhausted though, with dark shadows under his eyes betraying how tired he was.

He opened his mouth to tell Steve to go home and get some rest when Dr. Asada came out to speak to Danny about Matt's surgery.

Her tense expression did little to calm his fears.

He and Steve rose from their chairs at the same time, Danny reaching out to grip Steve's hand. The doctor smiled tentatively before she spoke. "Detective Williams, your brother made it through surgery but he is still critical. He will be in the ICU until his brain function improves."

"What about brain damage?" Danny asked fearfully.

"We need him to regain consciousness before that can be determined."

Danny let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding. "Doc, right now I'm just happy that my brother's alive."

Dr. Asada bowed her head in understanding. "You need to understand that your brother has a long road to recovery in front of him." She paused to delicately gesture to the guard posted outside the waiting room. "And that recovery might be taking place in less than ideal circumstances."

Danny tiredly ran his hand across his face. "You don't know the half of it," he muttered to himself

He could feel Steve elbow him gently in the side and he grimaced slightly. "Look doc, I appreciate your candor, but there isn't anything we can do about where Matt ends up."

Danny paused to take a deep breath before he could continue. "Just help him get better, okay?"

Dr. Asada nodded once and then walked briskly out of the waiting room.

Danny ran a tired hand over his face, feeling like he was about to pass out, but he didn't have that luxury—he had to call his parents and Rachel, and he still had to get the full story from Steve.

He turned to talk to his partner when Steve grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room.

Danny looked up questioningly and Steve just smiled. "We're going to get pancakes."

He held up a finger to stop Danny's protest. "It's going to take the doctor and nurses some time to set Matt up in the ICU and you haven't eaten anything in hours."

It wasn't until then that Danny realized just how empty his stomach was and he remembered that the last time he'd even thought of food was while eating the malasadas and coffee Kono had brought him.

"I could eat some pancakes as long as you answer my questions," Danny said slowly. "And as long as you're buying," he added for effect.

Steve rolled his eyes but his expression was serious. "I know I have a lot of explaining to do, and I thought it would go down easier with food."

Danny looked at Steve and he noticed for the first time the careful way Steve was looking at him. He felt a prickle of unease as he regarded his partner. "How did you know where Matt was?" Danny asked quietly.

Steve looked down in consternation. "Danny, I was going to tell you everything over breakfast."

He didn't acknowledge Steve's words, just looked at him expectantly.

Resigned, Steve lowered his head slightly before answering. "Your brother called me yesterday morning, asking for help in getting away from the cartel."

Danny felt like he was just punched in the gut, as all of the air left his lungs. "Matt called you for help," Danny mechanically repeated, "but not his own brother."

"Danny, man, don't even think it," Steve warned. "Matt wanted to call you but he was too ashamed."

At that, Danny's head snapped up. "Ashamed?" Danny asked furiously, "How the hell could he ever think I'd be ashamed of him?"

Before Steve could answer, Danny went right on speaking, "I could never be ashamed of that idiot! Doesn't he know how much I…"

Danny tried to continue but his voice failed him. He could feel himself dangerously close to tears and he went to turn away to get a grip on his emotions, but Steve blocked him.

He took Danny by the shoulders and spoke softly but determinedly. "Matt adores you and your opinion means more to him than anyone elses in the world."

Steve paused to make sure Danny was listening. "He wanted you to be proud of him and he was coming back to make things right."

He shook Danny slightly before he continued. "Don't be angry with him Danny—he needs your forgiveness right now."

And that was all it took. The tears Danny had barely kept at bay during his talk with his parents finally poured out of him. He cried for everything his brother lost, his bright future and his freedom, and he cried for everything his family lost as well, their faith in their youngest son, and their peace of mind.

Steve wrapped his arm around his friend and pulled him into his chest, whispering soothing words while Danny wept.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Danny's tears started to subside. Steve handed him a bunch of paper napkins someone had left on a table in the waiting room.

He mopped his face and blew his nose. He finally trusted his voice enough to actually speak. "So, I take it you and Matt talked?" Danny asked drily.

Steve shook his head at him. "Yeah, something like that. By the time I found him, he was already in bad shape from the beatings one of the cartel's enforcers had given him."

Before Danny could ask any more questions, a nurse walked in. "Detective Williams," she asked, looking between the two men.

Danny raised his hand and stepped forward with Steve at his side. "That's me."

The nurse signaled for him to follow. "Your brother's in ICU, would you like to see him?"

Danny took a deep fortifying breath, and started to follow her down the hall. He saw that Steve was going back to the waiting room, so he reached out and snagged Steve's shirt before he could leave.

"I need you with me Steve." Danny looked down before he could finish. "I don't think I can't do this without you."

"Let's go then," Steve said simply.

Danny reached his hand out again and Steve took it, giving it a comforting squeeze. He clung to that strength and squeezed back.

_Matt will get through this ordeal and he wil serve his sentence,_ Danny thought to himself _and then one day I will find a way to thank Steve for saving my brother's life_.

He nodded to himself and then he and Steve followed the nurse out the door.


End file.
